No Drawing Power for Capriati, Hewitt

The draw was not especially kind to either of the top-seeded players at the French Open on Friday at Roland Garros.

First, consider defending champion Jennifer Capriati. One of her clay-court losses this spring was to the resurgent Patty Schnyder of Switzerland at Charleston, S.C. So, where was Schnyder positioned in the field? A mere four lines away from Capriati, looming as a possible fourth-round opponent.

Should she survive the first week, there could be a quarterfinal meeting with No. 7 Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia, who is playing in the final at Strasbourg, France, today. And, perhaps, a Williams sister in the semifinal--No. 3 Serena, who has been playing the best clay-court tennis of late, along with Justine Henin of Belgium. Serena and Henin could meet in the quarterfinals, and they have split their last two meetings this spring on clay.

The Williamses are on opposite sides of the draw, a comforting development for them, the way it was at the U.S. Open, in which they met in the final. But Venus has never gone past the quarterfinals here, nor has Serena.

On the men’s side, there’s No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia. He has lost twice this clay-court season to Carlos Moya of Spain. Certainly, his hope was to see Moya far away on the other side of the draw. But Moya landed close by, as a potential fourth-round opponent.

Andre Agassi, champion in 1999, opens against a qualifier, and Pete Sampras will start against Andrea Gaudenzi of Italy. After reaching the final in Houston on clay, Sampras lost in the first round of consecutive tournaments in Rome and Hamburg, Germany. He is in the same quarter of the draw as three-time champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, Moya and Hewitt.

Agassi’s place in the draw is hardly ideal. He is in the same quarter as Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, who has been struggling with an injured leg but did win the Monte Carlo event. Also in Agassi’s quarter is Roger Federer, who won his first Masters Series event on Sunday in Hamburg on clay.

Missing the French Open--which begins Monday--for the first time since she turned pro in 1994 is Martina Hingis. Twice a finalist in Paris, Hingis had recent ankle surgery and will probably be out for three months. Lindsay Davenport, who had knee surgery in January, is attempting to return in time for Wimbledon.